ALIAS Premiere!

So, ALIAS Season 5 began on Thursday night. The pictures below are just a few from the "Premiere Party" that we had at my house. I had originally planned on having ALIAS nights at my place all this semester, but now that Vaughn is gone...I need some time to process....grieve a little, you know?

Yes, I'm wearing a stud collar.

Who are those girls?...OH wait! Their Sydney Bristow in disguise. :-)

Sydney...you're my hero...but why'd you have to go and get married in real-life, so as to make your hottie ex-boyfriend NOT want to play your on-screen boyfriend any longer?

Vaughn's last moments of life. Please come back...please, please, PLEEEAAASSSEEEE! (I don't know if I can continue watching the show without you.)

Posers, Fakers and Wannabe's--Welcome Here

Quote of the Day:

"I'll leave you with my new motto...God and all things British."

You know who you are and you know how much I love you. This made me laugh out loud and realize that I can do nothing but concur.

Just think with me for a minute....
Chris Martin
Keane
Jamie Cullum
Fish & Chips
Accents
English
Prince William
Sark (on ALIAS)
Big Ben
The "lou"

The list could continue, but I thought I'd open this up for all of you now so please add your own in the comments section....

Weekend Review

I just thought I'd start this post by saying that I have the best friends in the whole wide world! I am incredibly blessed and deeply grateful and continuously amazed that God has filled my life with such wonderful people.

But enough of that mushy stuff...

My friend Jenni is the CHAMP!! She transformed my world and gave me a reason to laugh from now until my last days andI know you're all dying to know how it happened...so here's the scoop:

Yesterday my fellow "Jr. Staffer" friends and I decided to head to Kansas City for their annual art fair on the Plaza. In my opinion this is one of the coolest things to do in this area and if you've never been, I suggest you try it out next year. But I digress...

After a long, fun-filled day of shopping (and by "shopping" I mean, me talking Cliff into buying an $88 pair of pants at JCrew and Jenni buying a TON of cute clothes at Ann Taylor--which she got for the steal of the century--and me going home with a new Pottery Barn catalogue), perusing some amazing art stands (of which sparked my creativity and made Jenni feel like a total loser), and paying entirely too much for a cheeseburger...we made our way down to the Cheesecake Factory and then back to Starbucks where we could sit and savor both the heavenly pieces of cheesecake coupled with the perfect blend of joe.

So a few minutes pass by when, suddenly, I'm struck with a brilliant idea (that did not accompany my humility, BTW). I wasn't sure how it would be received but I decided to lay it out on the table anyway.

You see, there was this kind of off-the-wall guy working at Starbucks. When we first spotted him he was minding his own business, cleaning off tables. BUT, what caught my attention were his glasses. He had these funky, light blue, big plastic framed glasses encompassing his eye area. And this is the scene that followed...

Act 1--
Me: Hey Jenni, I dare you to go up and tell that guy that you like his glasses....ask if you can try them on...and then proceed to walk around Starbucks one time.

Jenni: (LOL)

Me: Come on. It would be hysterical.

Jenni: No, I can't do that. He might think I'm making fun of him.

Me: No he won't. Just do it.

Cliff: (Nods in agreement with Jenni)

END SCENE

ACT 2--

Funky Glasses Boy: (Approaches our table innocently, still wearing the glasses, holding a tray full of free samples of their delectable cranberry lemon cake thingy) Hey, would you guys like to try a bite of our cranberry lemon cake "thingy?" (Note: "Thingy" is used here in place of the actual name, because quite frankly, I can't remember)

Me: Yes, please. (Still thinking Jenni is not going to do it.)

Jenni: No, thank you. But, hey, I really like your glasses. Could I try them on and walk around the store once?

Me: (Dumbfounded and in awe...and trying to withhold my laughter)

Funky Glasses Boy: (Without saying a word, removes glasses and hands them to Jenni)

Jenni: (Places them on her face. Gets up, without comment, and proceeds to walk around Starbucks--greeting the other employees looking at her along the way.)

Funky Glasses Boy: (Continues to pass out samples while awaiting the return of his glasses.)

Jenni: (Returns from her round of the store...returns the glasses to Funky Glasses Boy) Thanks. I'll take one of those samples now. (Without another word, she returns confidently to her seat and laughter breaks out among her friends.)

END SCENE.

Jenni, you absolutely amaze me. Starbucks is on me next time.

PS--The pictures below are of my partners in crime and a cool building, as I attempted to tap into my "artsy-fartsy" side.

Jr. Staffers in the city

KC Plaza Tower

Bubble Trouble

So picture this...

It's Sunday night. The weekend is winding down. The week is winding up. And I decided to initiate the two by indulging in one of my favorite luxuries known as "bath time." Yes, I know as a kid I never enjoyed one of these simple little pleasures without kicking and screaming beforehand, but now....well, now it is a different story altogether.

You no longer will find me fighting. In fact, while overseas, you may have found me even daydreaming about what a wonderful treat it would have been to have a tub full of hot water in which to soak away my dry and dirty skin, as well as my worries of the day. (Confessional: There was one night when, in my stubborn determination, I decided to try and make that dream a reality and it took me carrying buckets of water back and forth, several times, until the tub was a little bit full...and me arriving to find that the time in between had caused the resting water to quickly cool...yeah, good times.)

Well, now...I'm thousands of miles away from CA and I am currently living in what I have deemed, "the palace." Not only is it an amazingly beautiful house, but it also comes complete with a HUGE jacuzzi tub *with jets. (Yes, K-town peops...sorry. I'm not trying to rub it in, promise.)

So, as I started to explain way earlier in this post, on Sunday night I set out for a nice relaxing soak in the tub. Now, of course I've taken baths in this thing numerous times and each time I used this wonderful Taihitian bath milk stuff. It's great. Well, the other night I wanted to mix things up a bit and I decided to use some of my enchanted apple bath gel/bubbles.

All of this, was good and fine. The candles were lit. The music was softly playing in the background. It was exactly how you see it on the movies or envision it in your daydreams. And I even remember thinking to myself how amazingly blessed I was to live in such a place.

And then it happened.

I turned on the jets.

And as I laid there, basking in the moment with my cool eye mask on....the bubbles (unbeknownst to me) had begun to rise. (I'm sure all you smart people out there are thinking, "Duh. Jets and bubbles don't mix.) Well, let's just say I'm not so smart.

When I finally opened my eyes, bubbles were overflowing out of the tub and spilling on to the floor...and up the side of the wall....and, well, they were pretty much EVERYWHERE!

45 minutes later I had managed to beat the bubbles back down the drain...and even though I considered trying it all again (this time without the bubble bath), I realized that only cold water remained. So I gave up, dried off, and went to bed.

Next time, I'm going to call housekeeping.

The End.

Trouble in Scrapbook Land

So I promised a post on scrapbooking (and the convention) to some people about a million years ago. Unfortunately, inspiration just never seems to strike me at the right time when it comes to blogging about something so profound...so personal. ;-) I wish Matt and Ben were here to inspire...but I know my wishing is in vain.

And so for the past 3 days I've had my kitchen table covered with an assortment of the coolest prints on paper...special adhesives to meet any variety of needs...a box full of embellishments, ranging from the newest rub-on letters, tags, threads, etc. And still, I have nothing. My pages remain half done (or half begun--depending on how you look at it). Even thinking back to the classes at the convention in which I learned all sorts of new techniques...I still have nothin. No "creative moments...err keepsakes" here. Just the hope. The hope that one day, I'll have a complete book full of beautiful layouts that accompany the amazing memories of that very special trip.

Here's to that day.

The Break Up

Dear Harry Connick, Jr.,
I'm not quite sure how to begin this letter, so I'll just cut straight to the point. Are you ready? Here it goes...

I am breaking up with you.

Now, please don't cry. You and I both know this has been coming for a long time. I've hardly listened to you in the past couple of years, and it's just...well...I've moved on.

Yes, I know that you were there for me through my most formidable years at Lincoln. (I also know that I almost liked another guy just because he looked like you...kind of.) And yes, I remember that concert in St. Louis. The way you played those instruments and sang just for me...even when I was sitting on the lawn. You were, and are, so special to me.

But you see, I have found someone else.

• He's younger. OK, not like Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher younger. But we'll say mid-twenties.
  
• He's British--and you KNOW how I love accents.
  
• He's NOT married to a Victoria's Secret supermodel.
  
• Did I mention, he's British?
  
• He plays the piano like a pro and sings like an angel.
  
• And, well, he's my newest love.
  

I know this may just be a fad, and I'mreally sorry to hurt you in a time like this, but I just couldn't take it any longer. I hope we can still be friends. Please know that you'll always have a special place in my heart.

Call me when you get this.

Much Love,
L
PS--His name is Jamie Cullum.

Confessional

To all of you who have read some of my past posts (i.e. the one about my really bad hair cut and the other one about koolats)...This is my confessional...

My "really bad haircut"....wasn't really the worst I've ever received. In fact, after a day, and a chance to style it myself, it didn't even come close to that category. I think I might have been a tad bit overdramatic at the time. (Yes, I know, that's sooo unlike me!) But I do definitely have bangs that I would rather not have. Still, what are ya gonna do?! My apologies to all of you who joined in my misery. And my gratitude to all of you who cared enough to ask. I guess the moral of the story is that life goes on...even with bad hair. (Profound, huh?) HA!

And, I guess while I'm making confessions...I have to lay it all on the line....(K-town Gang, this is kind of like my "deepest darkest sin in 60 seconds...GO!) --
The other day I tried on a pair of "koolats." Yes, I know I made fun of them before, but I promise they have become cuter over the summer. Maybe they were meant for the in-between season, such as we are in at the moment. (You know, not really summer, but not quite fall?) And yes, Tricks, you were right. I do have a tendency to fall victim to the latest fashion trends. Don't worry though...I didn't buy any



....YET.

The End

Summer days are gone too soon...shoot the moon and miss completely. ~ Norah Jones

Even though the temps are still up in the 90's (with high humidity lingering on here in MO), fall is beginning to stir. And do you want to know how I know this? (Besides, of course Jane, my amazing meteorological intuitions)...Here are the tangible signs...

• CANDY CORN (the autumn mix)--I can't tell you how excited I was the other day when I went to Wal-Mart and found the aisles stocked with Halloween Candy--esp. my fav!
  
• FALL BLENDS-- Pumpkin Spice Lattes are now being served in Starbucks (just a little FYI)
  
• APPLES--In my refrigerator...at this moment...would be a 1/2 gallon of "fresh-from-the-orchard" apple cider. I LOVE THAT STUFF! (It almost makes a trip back to IL with gas at $3 a gallon worth it.)
  

SO, while it's not quite time to bust out the sweaters...I am welcoming in the new season with open arms...and a little bit of an upset stomach. :-)

The end of summer is upon us, my friends. May the change be good for us all.

Oh yeah, P.S.--Autumn, please don't be a tease. You know how much I love sweaters.

I Caved

These people kept calling and hounding and everywhere I went people were asking..."Are you going to speak in chapel?" I tried saying no. I even succeeded once. It didn't work. And tonight, I don't know what happened, but half-way through the "Faculty/Staff Back to School Dinner," I knew what my answer was.

September 15th is D-Day. What have I done?!!

Better Days

Well, I was going to try and post a witty and humorous blog about my weekend at the scrapbook convention (which will now be written at a later date--so keep checking) , but right now something else is on my mind...or maybe, my head?

I got a haircut today. Not a big deal, right? Wrong. This is one of the worst hair cuts of my life. Students are coming back this week. I have to get my picture taken for my i.d. badge and for the yearbook. And right now all I want to do is hide out until my bangs grow back.

And YES, I maybe exaggerating a bit...There was that cut in the 4th grade, when in a matter of minutes, my long locks, turned into short springs of curls sprouting out of my head--making me look like a mixture between a chia pet and Annie. Not a good look--even for model-like figures such as myself. ;-)

Still, this current cut is not proving to be much more attractive. (...OK, it is a bit better.) But I should have known. I should have jumped out of the chair the instant that lady asked if my hair was in layers. WHAT??? She couldn't tell this by the 10-15 different lengths of hair that one might find on the top of my head? But I rationalized. Everyone else in the shop had cute hair. Surely she's trained. Surely she wouldn't cut my hair if she didn't know how. Surely she would ask for help if need be. ...Surely, surely, surely...I assumed too much.

Now, I don't usually cry after a haircut (except for maybe that time in K-town when we went to the Thai salon at the InterCon), but this was certainly worth a few tears. But being the strong woman that I am, I managed to keep myself together... and march straight down to the Great American Cookie Company and drown myself in a chocolate chip doozie and a medium coke. (A girl's got to maintain her composure, I thought to myself.)

TOMORROW

Just thinking about that title made me crack up laughing at memories from summers gone by. ...One little girl singing (aka screaming) the theme song from "Annie" outside of the Muny. *Karla & Amanda--you know what I'm talking about. (Good times. Good times.)

But I digress...TOMORROW begins the long awaited "Scrapbooking Convention" in Tulsa! I know, Matt and Ben, you are both writhing with envy, but I'll take lots of pictures and will post a summary soon. Don't worry! ;-)

In other news, I moved down to Joplin last Friday. Life has been pure insanity this summer, and it doesn't look like that will be changing any time soon. But I won't complain. I'm living in an amazing house and I'm super excited to be back at Ozark. Already I feel encouraged and loved.

Still, I have to admit, I am totally overwhelmed with preparing to teach college classes. Wasn't it just last year that I was headed off to be a college student? Now I'm going to faculty retreats, receiving my class roster, and trying frantically to write class syllabi. My how times have changed!

But I won't get ahead of myself. Tomorrow will arrive soon enough. Each day is His. I just pray He finds me faithful.

Summer Highlights

Below you will find some pictures from the last month and a half of my life. It has been a whirlwind and I'm hoping things will eventually slow down.

Needless to say, though,my thoughts on life at the moment are a bit murky. Once I regain some clarity, I'll post once again.

Until then, hope you enjoy the pics (and memories, for those of you who were a part).

Mi Familia en la playa...My Family at the Beach (FYI--It's winter in Chile right now.)